With the Angels may try different tactics in Key Cents

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – As impressive as With the Angels has been on the front end, trainer Linda Rice may try to experiment by having the undefeated filly attempt to come from off the pace in Sunday’s $100,000 Key Cents Stakes for New York-bred 2-year-old fillies at Aqueduct.

The experiment would have been a lot more tempting had With the Angels not drawn the rail for this six-furlong heat.

“She has enough gate speed to figure it out,” Rice said. “I don’t love the draw. I was hoping for the five or six hole, but it is what it is.”

Those with a New York-bred 2-year-old filly were hoping With the Angels would have moved on to open company by now after dominating statebred company in all three of her starts, including blowout victories in the Joseph A. Gimma and Maid of the Mist Stakes. Rice said she wasn’t totally satisfied with how With the Angels performed at a mile, so she opted to shorten her up rather than try the Grade 2 Demoiselle at 1 1/8 miles on Dec. 7.

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Rice said the rail draw presents an obstacle, but there will be tougher hurdles next year when With the Angels will undoubtedly meet open company.

“Water gets deeper next year, might as well see how we sort these kinds of things out,” Rice said. “We can see if she’s willing to rate and still perform as she has on the front end and do that next year or we can do that now.”

Rice also entered Nina Kay, who came from off the pace in the slop to win her debut, a race originally scheduled for six furlongs on turf.

Among the competition Sunday is Stone Smuggler, who finished second, 11 1/2 lengths behind With the Angels, when both debuted Aug. 22 at Saratoga. Stone Smuggler then went to Finger Lakes to win the $98,000 Lady Finger Stakes by 8 1/2 lengths.

Jorge Abreu, trainer of Stone Smuggler, said his filly was a little short when she ran against With the Angels in August.

“I didn’t have that race aimed for her, but that race came up and she had a good breeze and we took a shot,” Abreu said. “Now, she’s had two races under her belt and that race at Finger Lakes was a very good race for her.”

Abreu said he respects With the Angels, but he doesn’t plan to concede the race.

“We’re going to go right at her,” Abreu said.

Bellacose makes her first start for Chad Brown after she made her first two starts for Jeremiah Englehart. Bellacose won her debut by 10 3/4 lengths on July 17 at Saratoga. Following the race, John Stewart bought majority interest in the filly and wanted to run in the Grade 1 Spinaway, where she finished 10th, 31 lengths behind Immersive who has since gone on to win the Alcibiades and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Stewart moved Bellacose to Brown following the Spinaway.

While trainer Wesley Ward plans to scratch Shoot It True from the Key Cents, he’s expected to run Phoebeinwonderland, a debut winner in the mud at Aqueduct in May, but who hasn’t run since.

D’s a Rock, Valtellina, and Bam’s Bliss Kiss complete the field.

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